[Sudanpan]

One of the reasons we are embarking on getting some weaners is to clear some pretty rubbish land - its got loads of scrubby grass, thistles and clover on it - and probably some ragwort as it has been used as a dumping ground for soil/diggings freom where we dug into the side of the hill to get a level area for building our barn
Can anyone say if it would be unwise to put pigs on land that might have ragwort on it? I know ragwort is dangerous to horses, but I have been told that pigs can be given anything green and they are happy to eat it and basically they won't be harmed - is this too much of a generalisation?
Thanks for any advice
Tish
 

[MiriMaran]

I would pull and burn the Ragwort of I were you!

[Malc]

Definitely get rid of the ragwort - and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. It's actually illegal to keep it on your land. Pigs can clear land, but I'm always suspicious of folk who get pigs for that purpose. There are many rotovators on the market that would be just as cheap in the long run.

[Hilarysmum]

Like the others, remove and burn the ragwort because pigs may well cause it to spread.  Everything else they are wonderful at clearing.  To avoid ripped ears (and vet bills) if the brambles are very overgrown consider cutting them down and burning.  Pigs will remove the roots ensuring they never return.

When we first started with pigs we had the local MSA (sort of farming official) man around for advice.  He kindly suggested if we clear all the brambles from the front of the house we could put pigs on that.  Hilary, never one to refuse a challenge, led the herd into a clear the bramble in a month campaign.  (OH had to strim and burn the tops first).  Never had a bramble come back on that area.

[gavo]

Hello,

The pigs will leave the ragwort well alone and clear everything else. If you have access to some goats then they would also do a good job on the brambles.
Once the land is cleared you'll see exactly where the ragwort is to pull it out or spray it.

Cheers

Gavin

[Muc]

Last year's pigs left the ragwort well alone and when it was tall enough I pulled it all out very quickly. It was the tradition around here for farmers to call on the neighbouring women to walk the fields and pull the ragwort when conditions were right. Can't see it happening today.
I don't know what those conditions are but if you give it a tug every now and then, you'll find one day that it comes out clean. You can then pull the lot.
I tried to clear land with pigs but got a bunkered, weed-infested mess. I then had to get a neighbour with a harrow to go over it. Should have got the harrow in the first place.

[Hilarysmum]

Show me the harrow that will produce great bacon and I'll be the first to buy one ....

[ballingall]

How much room would I need to keep two weaners? I don't know a huge amount about keeping pigs- we had two weaners once when I was about 8, but that was a long time ago! We have a very overgrown "orchard" but its not that big a space and I thought it might be too small. There is already a shed in there they could use. I would have to go over the fence though, its not that great just now.

Having missed out on my orphan lambs, could I get two weaners and have the dual purpose of producing some meat plus clearing out the overgrown grass and nettles?

Beth

[Sudanpan]

Great - thanks for all the comments - 
We did get our local Cornwall Development group to come on to our field when we first got the place for advice, and the farmer suggested to us about getting the pigs to help clear the land - we were thinking of getting some anyway but hadn't really considered their rotavator talents before then! We had also spent a couple of days walking the field and clearing ragwort and thistles from the whole area - but since then we have dug into the hill to create the level area for the barn and I dumped all the diggings on the area that we had earmarked for the pigs - so now it is fairly overgrown, no brambles, but some thistles, dock and really long grass and such like. I have walked through the area (approx 30m by 60m) and although I haven't seen any ragwort I figured there might be some so that was why I was wondering about the possible effects on the pigs.
We also went on a one day pig course to get more info and advice on keeping the pigs and on that day it was also emphasised that pigs were a great method of clearing land - and they were the ones who said that pigs will eat anything green without a problem.
From all the advice I'll make sure I keep an eye on the land and whip out and burn the ragwort if I see it.
 

[Hilarysmum]

For clearing land, I would heartily recommend a couple of tamworths, either neutered or female so that you have no worries about keeping them for up to a year (boars develop tusks) once the task is completed great bacon. 

[dixie]

Most animals wont eat growing ragwort as it tastes bitter. Once dried in hay it becomes edible. But if theres nothing else to eat and ragwort is available then they may well eat it, then poo the seeds out resulting in it growing everywhere! You must pull it before it flowers or you end up dropping the seeds, after a good downpour of rain it comes up really easily, then burn it, dont compost it or put it out in the rubbish or you'll spread the problem! If the ground is dry a pronged fork or ragwort fork is excellent for getting the roots out. good luck!

[Homeboy]

Newbie on the block.

Sorry about dragging up an old topic, but it rseems relevent to what I need to ask.  If there are any other posts that are better, please show me where.

I have an old vegetable garden, established about 40 years ago, enclosed by 4 foot chain link fencing, with concrete posts, on 3 sides, and con block wall on the 4th side.  About 100 feet, by 80 feet is size, with a narrow con block path offset to one side.  All in excellent order.
It has been neglected for about 25 years or so, is/was set up for growing potatoes mostly.......left with high ridges, and deepish furrows. I did want to rotovate it, but with the furrows, it's nigh impossible.

There are goosebery bushes to one side, blackcurrants to another, the third sis is covered in blackberry brambles, which have now covered a large area.  3 apple trees, and two or three small Ash trees(which will be cut down, and stumps left at about 4 foot high(bird table stands).  The con block wall is covered with any Ivy of somesort......I'll post some photo's, and show whatit's like.

So, with all that....will a couple of medium sized pigs, be able to clear it with out doing them any harm......I hope to hire, or borrow a couple from a neighbour to accomplish this.  There has been no livestock at all, been kept on the premises for many years.
 
I did help a mate for a year, to set up his organic pig farm in Worcestershire, about 14 years ago...he had Tamworths, and middle whites. I now live in Ireland, since that time.  So I'm no stranger to them.

When we went to Tamworth......to pick up some weaners(Tamworths obviously), the seller showed us a small orchard, that was originally full of the same type of stuff I have mentioned.  He ran a huge sow and a boar in there for a few months, and they cleared the lot, almost.

Any thing that you experts know, that will be against, or for doing this.  It is only a temporary measure to do this 'garden'.  I will not be keeping any livestock, whatsoever.

Cheers folks.

[Marches Farmer]

As mentioned in the earlier posts on this subject (listed below) young pigs given too much tough greenery can get an impacted gut, with fatal consequences.  Pigs will need a dry lie, permanent access to clean water and to be fed twice a day.  Mature pigs can move/push through/push under pretty well anything they want to if they've a mind to it (our sties have concreted-in railway sleeper fenceposts and double-skinned corrugated iron fence panels with three 4 x 2 horizontals between).  Ragwort will cause irreparable liver damage.

[Homeboy]

Eight years between posts, just wondered if opinions and diet have affected any Pigs. No ragwort to be seen.

I have seen the positive 'detruction' of land, that pigs can do. The negative side, was the tunneling under the fencing in Worcestershire.
For me, I like to see them turn this little patch of domestic jungle into a barren landscape, rooted and turned over, and manured at the same time.

There won't be a pig arc, but there will be a shelter and water supply, via a drinking trough. Extra pig feed will be supplied, on advice, and supply  from my neighbour.
I have taken photo's, but they seem pretty pointless, as it's pretty much 3 to 4 feet tall.  I'll get in there with a brush cutter, to clear some of it down, just before they are let loose.

The last thing I want, is poorly pigs on my hands. The pigs in question are about 15 months old. Thier stay will be as long as it takes, but I expect it to be a pretty short say.....maybe 3 to 5 weeks.  But I'll see how they go..

Thanks for replying to an old thread, much appreciated.

[90driver]

A recent visit to the "World Garden" near us in Kent informed us that Tom Hart-Dyke used pigs to clear his ground. The miracle is that years later they still have no Bind Weed or Ground Elder. !! Well worth considering !